This following link is a message made by Project 86's Andrew Schwab. It opened my eyes, making me realize that I need prayer support from others.

http://www.andrewschwab.com/secrecyshame.mp3

In short, if you don't have time to listen to this message, it's about living a double life. It's about letting your vices isolate you and destroy you.

Andrew read a letter from a man who had an addiction to pornography. The man told him that it had been destroying him, and when he finally confessed it, not just to God, but out to other Christians, that double life was easier to destroy. It made his marriage harder, but it would have been worse had he kept it hidden.

I'm coming to say that I have the same problem. The addiction and the isolation. I'm realizing lately that just praying to God and hoping He just takes it away isn't going to cut it.

Listening to this message finally opened my eyes wide to that fact. I need to confess it to other Christians. I need people through whom God will work to help me kill this man that I don't want to become before I completely assume that identity.

So, please, keep me in prayer to overcome this addiction.

Enough is Enough (http://www.panheads.org/boards/showthread.php?t=4183)

We understand full well what you're dealing with :)

Enough is Enough (http://www.panheads.org/boards/showthread.php?t=4183)

We understand full well what you're dealing with :)

Exactly
and I will pray for you to find yourself and not some item thats been created by the world

I believe that every man, woman, and child has some sort of double life. Possibly even 10. I know that there is my youth group me, my home me, and different me's for different friends, my inner self, church I, and pretty much a different self for everything.

I'm trying to be a more consistent self but my problem is with people I don't know well. That's when I cling to my strongly introverted, painfully shy tendencies and remain quiet because I don't know react to someone without feeling that I know a little bit about them first, at least enough to get a good reaction.

I'm loud among friends, but the quietest among strangers.

i wonder where u found out about this jacob.....hmmmm......lol


anyway, that really has changed the way i think about my "double life" and how secrets can eat away at your soul....

1 Thessalonians 4:1-8

Paul goes into much detail about the subject of purity.

vs. 4 - we need to KNOW how to control and protect our own bodies. don't dress or act a certain way in which you will get immodest reactions.

we're so quick to point out abuse... but somehow we let this slide. we think it's ok to whistle and make slanderous remarks to the opposite sex. we think it's ok, and normal to be treated inappropriately...

it's abuse.


we need to view it that way. and when we see girls and guys acting in a inappropriate manner, it should break our hearts because they have had no parental figure to protect them. to instill worth and value in them... they are being cheated.

to fall into sexual sin is to be cheated on the best gift.

don't let others walk all over you. you are more valuable than that...

we need to be reminded of our worth because if we know our value as unique individuals made in the image of God, we won't sell out to the foolishness of this world.

vs. 6 - view men as brothers. women as sisters.
literally.

picture your own flesh and blood... are you attracted them sexually? the normal, healthy, answer is no... of course not.
would you sit by and watch someone take advantage of them? no way!

so why do we do that now? probably because we view one another as objects from which to get pleasure vs. humans beings with our own intellect, worth, personality, emotions, etc.

abstain - cut off all the causes you to stumble.

when temptation comes - run! flee youthful lust (a wise reminder for all ages).
__


"I love You Lord, You are my strength."
Psalm 16:1

I'm loud among friends, but the quietest among strangers.
I'm the opposite :P